Brooklyn 100 Influencer: Ami Spishock, Fort William Artist Management

Ami Spishock works along with the people behind Secretly Group, the label collective which includes labels Dead Oceans, Jagjaguwar, The Numero Group and Secretly Canadian. Spishock used to work at Zeitgeist Management, where clients include Best Coast and the Postal Service. At Fort William their clients include The War On Drugs, Grizzly Bear, Fleet Foxes, and Beirut.

How and why did you become involved in your line of work? What would you even call what you do?I handle artists’ careers in all aspects, worldwide. This includes Their work with record labels, publishers, lawyers, publicists, film and tv, touring. I think of my job as building large teams and being at the center of them

What do you find most fulfilling about your work?Being 100% on the artist side. You don’t have to compromise anything when you’re on that side. It’s extremely fulfilling to make decisions that completely cover an artist’s business side of things while also protecting their goals artistically.

What is your proudest achievement with this work and what is your greatest challenge?Overall, everything that we’ve all done for others, be it as simple a the beauty of a show, or being present for benefit concerts and raising awareness on important causes.

What do you hope changes or improves (or continues!) in your field in the future?A few things. More women in power roles, especially artist management. Artists continuing to get appropriate guidance in handling the changing structures of the business they’re in. Continued artist advocacy for every single cause that is important to them.

Who would you nominate for this list?Brigitte Amiri, the Senior Staff Attorney at the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project. We did this together last week and it was amazing. She’s incredibly inspiring!